1996 NISSAN FRONTIER tires

If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions
below:
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road
away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the
parking brake. Shift the manual transmis-
sion into Reverse (R) (automatic trans-
mission in P).
WARNING
The transfer control lever must
be in the 2H, 4H or 4L position.
Never place it in the N position. Other-
wise, the vehicle could roll unexpect-
edly even if the manual transmission is
in gear.
4. Turn off the engine.
WARNING
cMake sure that the parking brake is
securely applied and the manual
transmission is shifted into Reverse
(R) (automatic transmission in P).
cNever change tires when the vehicle
is on a slope, ice or a slippery area.
This is dangerous.
cNever change tires if oncoming traf-
fic is close to your vehicle. Wait for
professional road assistance.
cRaise the hood to warn other traffic
and to signal professional road as-
sistance personnel that you require
assistance.
cHave all passengers get out of the
vehicle and stand in a safe place
away from traffic and clear of the
vehicle.
Blocking wheels
Place suitable blocks at both the front and
back of the wheel diagonally opposite the
flat tire to prevent the vehicle from rolling
when it is jacked up.
WARNING
Be sure to block the wheel as the ve-
hicle may move and could cause per-
sonal injury.
MCE0001
FLAT TIRE
5-2
ZX

Installing wheel
The spare tire is designed for emergency
use. See specific instructions under the
heading ``Wheels and tires'' in the ``Do-
it-yourself operations'' section.
1. Clean any mud or dirt from the surface
between the wheel and hub.
2. Carefully put the spare tire on and tighten
the wheel nuts finger tight.
3. With the wheel nut wrench, tighten wheel
nuts alternately and evenly until they are
tight.4. Lower the vehicle slowly until the tire
touches the ground. Then, with the wheel
nut wrench, tighten the wheel nuts se-
curely in the sequence as illustrated.
CAUTION
cAs soon as possible, tighten the
wheel nuts to the specified torque
with a torque wrench.
cWheel nut tightening torque:
87 to 108 ft-lb (118 to 147 Nzm)
cThe wheel nuts must be kept tight-
ened to specifications at all times. It
is recommended that wheel nuts be
tightened to specification at each
lubrication interval.
cAdjust tire pressure to the COLD
pressure.
COLD pressure:
After vehicle has been parked for three
hours or more or driven less than 1 mile
(1.6 km).
COLD tire pressures are shown on the
tire placard affixed to the glove box lid.
cRetighten the wheel nuts when thevehicle has been run for 600 miles
(1,000 km).
5. Securely store the flat tire and jacking
equipment in the vehicle.WARNING
cAlways make sure that the spare tire
and jacking equipment are properly
secured after use. Such items can
become dangerous projectiles in an
accident or sudden stop.
cThe spare tire is designed for emer-
gency use. See specific instructions
under the heading ``Wheels and
tires'' in the ``Do-it-yourself opera-
tions'' section.
CE0116
5-7
ZX

7 Do-it-yourself operations
Maintenance precautions ................................... 7-2
Engine compartment check locations ................ 7-3
Engine cooling system ....................................... 7-4
Engine oil ............................................................ 7-6
Automatic transmission fluid .............................. 7-9
Power steering fluid .......................................... 7-11
Brake and clutch fluid ....................................... 7-11
Window washer fluid ........................................ 7-12
Battery .............................................................. 7-13
Drive belts ........................................................ 7-14
Spark plug replacement ................................... 7-14
Air cleaner housing filter .................................. 7-15
Wiper blades .................................................... 7-16
Parking brake check ......................................... 7-17
Brake pedal ...................................................... 7-18
Brake booster ................................................... 7-19
Clutch pedal ..................................................... 7-19
Fuses ................................................................ 7-20
Light bulbs ........................................................ 7-20
Bulb replacement ............................................. 7-22
Wheels and tires .............................................. 7-24
Clutch housing ..................................... 7-29
ZX

If you have a flat tire, see the ``In case of
emergency'' section.
Maximum inflation pressure
Do not exceed the maximum inflation pres-
sures shown on the side wall of the tire.
Tire inflation pressure
Periodically check the tire pressure (includ-
ing spare). Tire pressure should be checked
when tires are COLD. COLD tire pressures
are shown on the tire placard affixed to the
glove box lid.
Incorrect tire pressure may adverselyaffect tire life and vehicle handling.
COLD pressure:
After vehicle has been parked for
three hours or more or driven less
than 1 mile (1.6 km).
CAUTION
cThe vehicle weight capacity is indi-
cated on the tire placard. Do not load
your vehicle beyond this capacity.
Overloading your vehicle may result
in reduced tire life, unsafe operating
conditions due to premature tire fail-
ure, or unfavorable handling charac-
teristics and could also lead to a
serious accident. Loading beyond
the specified capacity may also re-
sult in failure of other vehicle
components.
cBefore taking a long trip, or when-
ever you have loaded your vehicle
heavily, use a tire pressure gauge to
ensure that the tire pressure is at the
specified level.
cDo not drive your vehicle over 85
MPH (140 Km/h) unless it is
equipped with high capability tires.Driving faster than 85 MPH (140
Km/h) may result in tire failure, loss
of control and possible injury.
Types of tires
CAUTION
When changing or replacing tires, be
sure all four tires are of the same type
(i.e., Summer, All Season or Snow) and
construction. Your NISSAN dealer may
be able to help you with information
about tire type, size, speed rating and
availability. Replacement tires may
have a lower speed rating than the
factory equipped tires, and may not
match the potential maximum vehicle
speed. Never exceed the maximum
speed rating of the tire.
All season tires
NISSAN specifies All Season tires on some
models to provide good performance for
use all year around, including snowy and icy
road conditions. All Season Tires are iden-
tified by ``ALL SEASON'' and/or ``M&S'' on
the tire sidewall. Snow tires have better
DI0047
WHEELS AND TIRES
7-24
ZX

snow traction than All Season tires and may
be more appropriate in some areas.
Summer tires
NISSAN specifies summer tires on some
models to provide superior performance on
dry roads. Summer tire performance in
snow and ice will be substantially reduced.
Summer tires do not have the tire traction
rating ``M&S'' on the tire sidewall.
If you plan to operate your vehicle in snowy
or icy conditions, NISSAN recommends the
use of ``SNOW'' or ``ALL SEASON'' tires on
all four wheels.
Snow tires
If snow tires are needed, it is necessary to
select tires equivalent in size and load rating
to the original equipment tires. If you do not,
it can adversely affect the safety and han-
dling of your vehicle.
Generally, snow tires will have lower speed
ratings than factory equipped tires and may
not match the potential maximum vehicle
speed. Never exceed the maximum speed
rating of the tire.
For additional traction on icy roads, studded
tires may be used. However, some prov-inces and states prohibit their use. Check
local, state and provincial laws before in-
stalling studded tires. Skid and traction ca-
pabilities of studded snow tires on wet or dry
surfaces may be poorer than that of non-
studded snow tires.
4-wheel drive model
If you install snow tires, they must be the
same size, brand, construction and tread
pattern on all four wheels.
CAUTION
ONLY use spare tires specified for each
4-wheel drive model.
Tire chains
Use of tire chains may be prohibited accord-
ing to location. Check the local laws before
installing tire chains. When installing tire
chains, make sure they are the proper size
for the tires on your vehicle and are installed
according to the chain manufacturer's sug-
gestions.Use only SAE class ``S'' chains.
Other types may damage your vehicle. Use
chain tensioners when recommended by
the tire chain manufacturer to ensure a tight
fit. Loose end links of the tire chain must besecured or removed to prevent the possibil-
ity of whipping action damage to the fenders
or undercarriage. If possible, avoid fully
loading your vehicle when using tire chains.
In addition, drive at a reduced speed. Oth-
erwise, your vehicle may be damaged
and/or vehicle handling and performance
may be adversely affected.
Never install tire chains on a TEMPORARY
USE ONLY spare tire.
Tire chains must be installed only on the
rear wheels and not on the front wheels.
Do not use tire chains on dry roads. Driving
with chains in such conditions can cause
damage to the various mechanisms of the
vehicle due to some overstress. When driv-
ing on clear paved roads, be sure to change
to 2WD.
7-25
ZX

Tire rotation
NISSAN recommends rotating the tires ev-
ery 7,500 miles (12,000 km) for 2WD ve-
hicles and every 3,750 miles (6,000 km) for
4WD vehicles.
See ``Flat tire'' in the ``In case of emergency''
section for tire replacing procedures.
Wheel nut tightening torque:
87 to 108 ft-lb (118 to 147 Nzm)
CAUTION
cAfter rotating the tires, adjust the tire
pressure.
cRetighten the wheel nuts after the
wheels have been run for the first
600 miles (1,000 km) (also in cases of
a flat tire, etc.).
cDo not include the TEMPORARY
USE ONLY spare tire in the tire rota-
tion.
Tire wear and damage
CAUTION
cTires should be periodically in-
spected for wear, cracking, bulging
or objects caught in the tread. If
excessive wear, cracks, bulging or
deep cuts are found, the tire should
be replaced.
cThe original tires have a built-in
tread wear indicator. When the wear
indicator is visible, the tire should be
replaced.
SMA855CMDI0004
7-26
ZX

cImproper service for a TEMPORARY
USE ONLY spare tire may result in
serious personal injury. If it is nec-
essary to repair the TEMPORARY
USE ONLY spare tire, contact your
NISSAN dealer.
Changing tires and wheels
When replacing a tire, use the same size,
speed rating and load carrying capacity as
originally equipped. Recommended types
and sizes are shown in ``Wheel/tire size'' in
the ``Technical and consumer information''
section. The use of tires other than those
recommended or the mixed use of tires of
different brands, construction (bias, bias-
belted or radial), or tread patterns can ad-
versely affect the ride, braking, handling,
ground clearance, body-to-tire clearance,
snow chain clearance, speedometer cali-
bration, headlight aim and bumper height.
Some of these effects may lead to acci-
dents and could result in serious per-
sonal injury.
If the wheels are changed for any reason,
always replace with wheels which have the
same offset dimension. Wheels of a differ-ent offset could cause early tire wear, poor
vehicle handling characteristics and/or in-
terference with the brake discs/drums. Such
interference can lead to decreased braking
efficiency and/or early brake pad/shoe
wear.
CAUTION
Do not install a deformed wheel or tire
even if it has been repaired. Such
wheels or tires could have structural
damage and could fail without warning.
4-WHEEL DRIVE MODELS
CAUTION
Always use tires of the same size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted
or radial), and tread pattern on all four
wheels. Failure to do so may result in a
circumference difference between tires
on the front and rear axles which will
cause excessive tire wear and may
damage the transmission, transfer
case and differential gears.
If excessive tire wear is found, it is recom-mended that all four tires be replaced with
tires of the same size, brand, construction
and tread pattern. The tire pressure and
wheel alignment should also be checked
and corrected as necessary. Contact your
NISSAN dealer.
CAUTION
ONLY use spare tires specified for each
4-wheel drive model.
Wheel balance
Unbalanced wheels may affect vehicle han-
dling and tire life. Even with regular use,
wheels can get out of balance. Therefore,
they should be balanced as required.
Wheel balance service should be performed
with the wheels off the vehicle. Spin balanc-
ing the front wheels on the vehicle could
lead to transmission damage.
Care of wheels
cWash the wheels when washing the ve-
hicle to maintain their appearance.
cClean the inner side of the wheels when
the wheel is changed or the underside of
the vehicle is washed.
7-27
ZX

cDo not use abrasive cleaners when
washing the wheels.
cInspect wheel rims regularly for dents or
corrosion. This may cause loss of pres-
sure or damage the tire bead.
cNISSAN recommends waxing the road
wheels to protect against road salt in
areas where it is used during winter.
Spare tire
Your vehicle is equipped with a TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY spare tire.
To avoid property damage or personal in-
jury when using the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire, observe the following cau-
tions:
CAUTION
cThe spare tire should be used for
emergency use only. It should be
replaced by the standard tire at the
first opportunity to avoid possible
tire or differential damage.cPeriodically check spare tire infla-
tion pressure. Always keep the pres-
sure of the T135/70D16 spare tire at
60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 bar). Always
keep the pressure of the P215/75R15
spare tire at 26 psi (180 kPa, 1.8 bar).
cDo not drive the vehicle at speeds
faster than 50 MPH (80 km/h).
c
The transfer control lever must
be in the 2H position to prevent the
transfer case and differential gears
from being damaged.
cDo not use tire chains on a TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY spare tire. Tire
chains will not fit properly on a TEM-
PORARY USE ONLY spare tire and
may cause damage to the vehicle.
c
When driving on roads covered with
snow or ice, the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire should be used on
the front wheels and the original tire
used on the rear wheels (drive
wheels). Use tire chains only on the
two rear original tires.cTire tread of the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire will wear at a faster
rate than the standard tire. Replace
the TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare
tire as soon as the tread wear indica-
tors appear.
cBecause the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire is smaller than the
original tire, ground clearance is re-
duced. To avoid damage to the ve-
hicle, do not drive over obstacles.
Also, do not drive the vehicle
through an automatic car wash since
it might get caught.
cDrive carefully while the TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY spare tire is in-
stalled. Avoid sharp turns and
abrupt braking while driving.
cDo not use the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire on other vehicles.
cDo not use more than one TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY spare tire at the
same time.
cDo not tow a trailer when the TEM-
PORARY USE ONLY T135/70D16
spare is installed.
7-28
ZX